Many English speakers today would not even know what covetousness means! It’s greed or lust, really. And lust means “an overmasteringdesireorcraving.” So many problems in our society stem from this, especially those who aspire to wealth and fame by any means possible.

Then there are those who claim to be Christians, who promote the abundant life, wealth and prosperity doctrines. They say if you don’t have it, that is because you don’t believe it yourself. For example, the Word-Of-Faith preachers, like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Paul and Jan Crouch, Andrew Wommack, Fred Price and many more. These pioneered the Word Of Faith movement out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. They started tele-evangelising people out of their money with promises of hundred fold increases if the poor would just send in their meager hard-earned cash as a “seed” that God could ostensibly grow. Who prospered? The preachers did and still do. Only the preachers bank accounts grew, not those poor gullible believers’.

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

God says He not only brings prosperity but also disaster. So what do we do?

To start with, recognise that covetousness is idolatry.

It steals from the heart of God, and sets it up upon base and sordid things. It prevents our enjoying either temporal or spiritual blessings. A covetous man must be miserable. unholy, lost. Well may our dear Lord say, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness.” (Luke 12:15) It is sly and insinuating, deceitful and powerful; once rooted in the heart, nothing but omnipotent grace can root it out. Covet only the best gifts, the spiritual blessings from above. — Daily Remembrancer Oct 30th Morning

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About John Gideon Hartnett

Dr John G. Hartnett is an Australian physicist and cosmologist, and a Christian with a biblical creationist worldview. He received a B.Sc. (Hons) and Ph.D. (with distinction) in Physics from The University of Western Australia, W.A., Australia. He was an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Outstanding Researcher Award (DORA) fellow at the University of Adelaide, with rank of Associate Professor. Now he is retired. He has published more than 200 papers in scientific journals, book chapters and conference proceedings.